Essex fire deaths house had been burgled, police reveal

The home where a mother and her five children died in a fire was burgled on the night of the tragedy, police have revealed.

Floral tributes left at Barn Mead in Harlow in memory of the six people who died in a house fire (Picture: PA)

Sabah Usmani and her sons Sohaib, 11, and Rayyan, six, and daughter Hira, 13, died in the blaze. Her nine-year-old son Muneeb and daughter Maheen, three, later died in hospital.

Now detectives say there was a break-in at the home just before the blaze was discovered.

A laptop belonging to the children’s father, Dr Abdul Shakoor – who survived the fire – was stolen.

Abdul Shakoor behind the cortege for the funeral of his wife and their five children (Picture: Getty)

The details emerged yesterday as Dr Shakoor made a fresh appeal for information. Unable to fight back the tears, he said: ‘I do not understand why my little children who were so happy and full of life, who had so much to live for, are no longer here.

‘I ask from my heart that anyone with information comes forward to help, so I may understand the tragedy that has befallen my beautiful family.’

Detectives originally suspected the fire was an arson attack, but have, so far, found no accelerant at the scene.

There were three other unsuccessful break-in attempts within a few streets of the home on the night of the fire, October 15, police have now revealed. Although they are unable to say if a burglar started the fire, they believe the break-ins could be linked.

Police have said a burglary took place the night of the fire (Picture: PA)

Police also want to speak to a teenage boy and young girl who were seen throwing a laptop bag away near the family home.

The bag containing personal papers and a laptop lead was found in Harlow, Essex, on October 26.

The items belong to Dr Shakoor, said Det Supt Rob Vinson who added: ‘How these incidents relate to the current investigation is ongoing.’

In a further appeal, detectives want to speak to four teenage boys seen outside the home before the fire. They were wearing tracksuits and baseball caps and two were riding bikes.